I wasn't asking for much: just a thought or sign that it mattered in the slightest to Superman, even if he couldn't successfully change the venue of the fight. Just some indication that he gave a crap and understood what was happening.

You're right about one thing (though not in the way you intended): the consequences of the urban fighting were very white-washed. The whole city could not have been evacuated in minutes, and thousands, tens of thousands, must have died. But we don't see it, and it certainly didn't matter to any of the characters onscreen. It was very G-rated, senseless, consequence-free action, which is a bit weird given that Christopher Nolan had a hand in it.